I am training (so to speak) for a charity ride in August.
The ride goes through Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin…fairly wooded areas if I remember correctly.
Today while I was riding through my local forest preserve, I nearly rode off the path because…a HUGE BUG FLEW IN MY NOSE!!! WTF?
Now I’m sure someone out there has figured out a way to prevent this type of accident. I’m begging you to share this vital info with me. I’m not all that coordinated to begin with. Staying on the bike while it’s moving is hard enough without some Kamikaze inscect trying to make its way into my sinuses.
Help. HOW DO I KEEP THE DAMN BUGS OUT OF MY NOSE?
Exhale. (Especially when you see that you’re about to pass through a swarm.)
Breath through your mouth and just hope you are nowhere near a sewage works.
Ah, bugs! I don’t consider it Springtime until I’ve swallowed my first bug of the season! Bugs in the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth are a mostly unavoidable part of cycling. Glasses or sun glasses will help keep them out of your eyes. If one goes in an ear, just turn your head from side to side, the changing wind will usually help it fly out again. If you get one in the front of your mouth, spit. If it’s at the back, take a drink of water and swallow it since no amount of hacking will get it out. If a bee or wasp flys into your helmet vents, come to a controlled stop (being mindful of riders around you) and take the helmet off to let it fly away. Don’t start madly bashing yourself on the head to try to squish it, this will just piss it off and get you stung.
Everything kferr said. Especially in the spring, swallowing the first bug of the season is a rite of passage. And hey, you can use all the protein you can get on a long ride. 
- Head down, eyes up.
- Learn to appreciate insects for their protein value.
If the idea of bugs in your mouth really bothers you that much, you can try wearing a medical mask. Perhaps a diving bell?
Just keep your eyes peeled and your head down when you see them coming. On my way to work a couple of days ago I had to travel through an almost solid 1/4 mile of gnats. Not pleasant.
Wearing bug repellant may help, but I wouldn’t think that it would do much good while you are moving.
What kind of bike are you riding? I ride a road bike and when there are swarms of insects present, I stay on the drops and keep my head down and mouth closed. As mentioned before, it also helps to wear sunglasses.
As far as keeping them out of your nose, wear a swimmers’ nose plug and tell everyone you’re a triathlete. 
Packs of fleas are the problem around that area, and the occaisonal bug flying into your mouth or eyes. Like someone previously said, lower your head and keep your mouth shut.
If not, hope your water bottle is full to wash it down with.
I live in Wisc and the area you’re riding thru won’t have any forests, unless you go thru the Kettle Moraine State park area. It’ll be old less-traveled farm roads, and small towns. Illinois wil be flat and Wisc may be rolling hills. Come to Wisconsin and smell our Dairy-air…
Good luck!
Thanks for all the advice you guys. I already do all that.
(Especially making sure the camelback is ALWAYS full)
I’m not talking about swarms, I can prepare for that,and the occasional bug is to be expected. Its just those damn kamikaze ones you don’t see coming, heading for your brain. Actually, right after I got the bug in my nose a butterfly commited hari kari on my sunglasses. It was quite sad.
I had a squirrel try to off him/herself by dashing inches in front of my front wheel last week. And several years ago, I nearly t-boned a skunk in a local park. Luckily the encounter was quick enough that it didn’t have time to turn & spray.
suicidal wildlife
I’d almost forgotten about the animals! Many a chipmonk has barely escaped death by me. The trail I ride is in Elk Grove Village and at one point they actually have a area fenced off where they keep REAL ELK! Thank god, for the fence. I can only imagine what would happen if they could get out. And the geese! I hate them. They always sit smack dab in the middle of the bike path and refuse to move. All I can do is, yell and raise my legs. I used to carry a can of pepper mace but someone told me it didn’t work on geese, but I could throw the can at them! What the hell good is that going to do me? I’d have to get off the bike and wade through them to get it back while trying to keep them from taking lumps of flesh out of my calves.
A couple of years ago in California a competitor during a time trial hit a deer and broke his femur.
The deer died from the impact.